Fotoreproductie van het schilderij 'Gezicht op huizen in Delft' door Johannes Vermeer before 1872

This is a photogravure made by Jean Pierre Emanuel Lampué, of Johannes Vermeer's 'View of Houses in Delft'. The print presents a study in contrasts, where the tactile quality of the photogravure medium interacts with the tranquil geometry of the urban landscape. The architectural facades are rendered with precision. Notice how the light and shadow are not merely representational. Lampué captures the tonal gradations to produce an almost palpable surface texture. The composition divides the space into distinct yet interconnected planes. The perspective is carefully controlled, but there's a subtle flattening of space, typical of early photographic reproductions. This technique invites questions about the nature of reproduction and representation. The very act of replication destabilizes the aura of the original. Lampué's photogravure becomes more than a copy, it stands as a commentary on the shifting boundaries between art, photography and mechanical reproduction.